Zebari attends the Arab League’s meetings

CAIRO, September 9 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – In a move that pleased Washington, Arab Foreign Ministers agreed late Monday, September 8, to allow the U.S.-backed Iraqi government to take part in their upcoming meeting in Cairo, implicitly recognizing the U.S.-named Iraqi Governing Council.

"We agreed on Iraq being represented at the Arab League but on a temporary basis, until a sovereign government is formed," Faruq Qaddumi, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization's political department, said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Arab League media director Husam Zaki said Baghdad's interim Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, was invited to attend the two-day meeting after the U.S.-appointed interim government he represents agreed to draft a constitution and form a permanent Iraqi government "within a limited period of time."

U.S. Pleased   

Meanwhile, the United States said late Monday it was pleased the Iraqi Governing Council will be allowed to occupy Iraq's seat at an Arab League Foreign Mnisters meeting this week.

"If the reports are true, we welcome this development," said Melinda Sofen, a State Department spokeswoman, AFP reported.

She declined to comment further except to say that U.S. officials would be seeking additional information about the reported decision Tuesday when the Arab Foreign Ministers begin a two-day meeting in Cairo.

Washington had been pressing the 22-member group to accept the Iraqi Governing Council for more than a month since it refused to recognize a representative at its last meeting in August.

Wary of endorsing the U.S. occupation of Iraq, Arab states have been reluctant to formally recognize the Council, appointed July 13 by the U.S.-led coalition that invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein in April.

However, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported Monday that Arab Foreign Ministers had agreed to invite "the Governing Council to occupy Iraq's seat" at the Arab League, vacant since the ouster of Saddam Hussein.

Officials said the recognition would be temporary pending Iraq's return to self-rule at the latest and between six months and one year at the earliest.

"We reached an agreement on inviting the transitional Governing Council to attend the ministerial meeting," said Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said earlier Monday that Washington had "kept in close touch with Arab governments as they've looked at this question" of recognizing the Governing Council.

"We do think it's important for the international community to work with the Governing Council," he told reporters.

On Sunday, U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said the Arab League should consider the Council and its newly appointed Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari as equals.

"I would fully hope, and frankly can't understand, why the Arab League would not want representation of a new Iraqi representative council that will be well on its way to building a free Iraq," she told CNN.

The Council on September 1 appointed a 25-member cabinet, including Zebari who arrived in Cairo Monday hoping to participate in the meeting.

On Sunday, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said his country was firm on its position that Iraq will not attend the 10th Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Leaders' Summit hosted by Malaysia next month as the Arab country is under occupation by the U.S.-led forces.

"As long as Iraq is not in the hands of Iraqis, its leaders are not legitimately elected by Iraqis, till then its seat in the OIC will remain vacant,” said the Minister.